“This fund offers a big chunk of support to Catholic schools, and it costs you nothing,” Fr. Troha says.
“Maybe, you have grandchildren attending another Catholic school in Ohio. Direct your donation there if you’dThislike.”is a very straightforward way to donate and help our Catholic schools, and Fr. Troha hopes parish ioners will take advantage of it. The funds help those students who are most in need be able to afford a Catholic education. Your donation might make the dif ference for a student to attend a Catholic school rather than a public school.
donation. He knows firsthand what it means to attend a Catholic school on scholarship — thanks to gener ous donors, Fr. Troha had the opportunity to attend the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.
continued on page 2 Immaculate Conception Catholic Church oncept Monthly NewsletterSeptember 2022
Basically, you are taking income tax credit you would have paid anyway and giving it to any Catholic school in the diocese.
The Catholic Community Foundation website — moneytaxoverviewcatholiccommunity.org/angel-scholarship-fund/—includesinformationtosharewithyourpreparer.Fr.Trohasaysthisisonewaytodirectwhereyourtaxgoes.It’sjusttakingthatextrasteptomakeyour
“We would love to see this money flow to Mater Dei Academy or any other Catholic elementary or high school that is important to you,” says Fr. Michael Troha.
Support the Angel Fund and Help Families Afford a Catholic Education
37940 Euclid Avenue Willoughby, OH 44094 440-942-4500 www.immaculate.net
T here are not many times in life when you can claim a “win-win-win.” There’s a chance to do just that on your 2022 taxes through the Angel Scholarship Fund. You can give a $750 donation to the fund and re ceive 100 percent of it back on your income tax credit.
“My parents couldn’t have afforded to send me there,” he says. “But because of generous people, I got a high-quality Catholic education.”
The teachers are truly ministers, not just teaching academically, but also forming our chil dren in the faith.
Immaculate Conception CATHOLIC CHURCH Please visit catholiccommunity.org/angel-scholarship-fund/overview PAGE 2
“It’s beautiful to be able to help families afford Catholic education,” he says. “We want to see that high-quality Catholic education is spread to more children. It’s also good to help families in our parish that need help. I know our parish is full of generous good people. This is a good way to help others.”
As Catholics, we are obligated to spread our faith not just to those who are already in the pews, but also to those who haven’t heard the message of Jesus Christ. One way we can do this is by help ing students afford a Catholic education. Mater Dei Academy and other Catholic schools provide that to students. Because they are still forming, children often pick up the message of Jesus Christ more easily than adults. These are formidable years, and a Catholic education can make all the difference.
UPCOMINGEvents September 17 & 18 — After all Masses, Holy Land Gifts in Southwest vestibule September 22 to November 23 — Bible Study Thursday Evenings 6-7:45 p.m. SJH September 22 & 23 — Rummage Sale in Gym 9 a.m. -5 p.m. September 24 — Rummage Sale in Gym 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. October 1 — Clambake 6 p.m. St. Joseph Hall October 2 — K of C Spaghetti Dinner 6-8 p.m. St. Joseph Hall October 8 & 9 — Stewardship Commitment Weekend at all Masses December 4 — Anniversary Breakfast 9:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. St. Joseph Hall December 11 Christmas Concert 3-4 p.m. in the Church December 17 — Breakfast with Santa 10-11:30 a.m. St. Joseph Hall
Fr. Troha supports this fund because he wants to see Catholic education thrive far into the future.
“This is all about getting kids to pray and to help them to become good stewards,” Fr. Troha says. “If Jesus doesn’t come first, it’s just a fancy education. Jesus comes first at Mater Dei Acad emy and other Catholic schools.”
Support the Angel Fund continued from front cover
This Month, We Honor Our Blessed Mother on Her Birthday
A Letter From Our Pastor
Dear Parishioners, B irthdays are always special oc casions we all enjoy celebrat ing. We send cards, give gifts, gather with family and loved ones, sing “Hap py Birthday,” and enjoy the traditional birthday cake. We make a big deal about birthdays because they remind us how special, precious and wonder ful is the gift of life given to us by God. On the Church’s calendar, we cel ebrate three important birthdays. On Dec. 25, we celebrate the Birthday of Jesus; on June 24, we celebrate the Birthday of St. John the Baptist; and on Sept. 8, we celebrate the Birthday of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Why do we celebrate Mary’s birthday on Sept. 8? The answer lies in another very important feast day of Our Lady, and that is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8. The Immaculate Conception is a dogma of the Church, which states that Mary was preserved free from all stain of Original Sin from the very first moment of her conception (this grace also preserved Mary from all sin throughout her life). This was a special gift from God and a wonderful privilege bestowed upon the Blessed Mother as she would become the pure, holy vessel to carry in her womb Christ, the Son of God. So, since we celebrate Mary’s Immaculate Conception on Dec. 8, we celebrate her birthday exactly nine months later on Sept. 8!
There are even some unique ways to celebrate Mary’s birthday. You can make a special birthday cake for Mary and have it as a family dessert one night this month — and even light a candle on the cake and sing “Happy Birthday” to Mary. Have your children or grandchildren make a birthday card for Mary — bring it to church and place it at the foot of Mary’s statue to show your love for the Mother of God. Decide to do a good deed or act of kindness and make that your special gift to Mary for her birth day. If you really want to make our Blessed Mother happy, gather for some family prayer time and pray a family Rosary as your gift to Mary. These are just some of the many ways we can honor our Blessed Mother and celebrate her birthday this month. Happy birthday, Blessed Mother Mary — we love Sincerelyyou!yours in Christ, Fr. Michael Troha
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Jeff and Erin O’Bryan have been participating in the Family Prayer Group since their eldest child, now 10 years old, was a newborn. Jeff describes a typical evening format.
Immaculate Conception CATHOLIC CHURCH PAGE 4
Dennis and his wife, Stacey, along with several other families, took up the call, and the Family Prayer Group was born. Meeting once a month for prayer, fellowship, and fun, the group is truly a family of families. Meetings have an informal nature, taking place outdoors at parks or in people’s homes dur ing the warmer months, and in the gym during the rest of the year.
The talks and discussions about Catholicism ben efit the whole group.
“The children’s insights help the parents and adults see the purpose of the Church and even of mysteries, and relationship with God,” Dennis says. “It’s true that children get some things easier than adults. Kids get to the root of answers sometimes quicker than adults.”
continued on page 5
After the weekend filled with Mass, talks, campfires, and swimming pools, Dennis came back with a personal mis sion. The leader of AFC, Jerome Coniker, told Dennis that the work of bringing people back into the Church through the family happens within parishes and encouraged him to work to evangelize through families at his home parish.
Jeff and Erin O’Bryan with their three daughters — the O’Bryan family has participated in this ministry since their eldest daughter, now 10 years old, was born.
ver a decade ago, parishioner Dennis Lann attended a retreat at the Apostolate for Family Consecra tion (AFC) in Bloomingdale, Ohio. The mission of AFC is to empower families to live out their Catholic faith. Accord ing to its website, the apostolate “sup ports and challenges Catholic families to grow in holiness, grow in truth, and grow together so that they can become fully alive in Christ.”
The Family Prayer Group: A Community of Faith, Fellowship and Support O
Either before or after the Rosary, Dennis or fel low leader Daryl Blatnick will give a short talk about an element of Catholicism. This might include speak ing about an upcoming solemnity. A huge hit is when Dennis asks the kids questions and throws out candy as a reward for good answers.
“As people filter in, the kids run off and play,” he says. “They play, play, play while the adults catch up and talk. Then, it settles down and there’s a quick transition to gathering in a circle and doing the rosary.”
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Family Prayer Group continued from 4
The talks aren’t the only way that learning takes place. Both Dennis and the O’Bryans point to the fact that parents and families learn a lot from each other through their friendships and the informal gatherings. Hear ing what Catholic traditions other families are learning about or incorporating often serves as encouragement and inspiration to explore more traditions oneself. For the O’Bryans, it has truly been a blessing. Their family has taken up praying the Rosary together daily since join ing the group, and Jeff and Erin have seen how impactful witnessing other families doing the same, and being com mitted to their faith, is on their three daughters.
Occasionally, Dennis will show the group a short topi cally relevant video or a piece of art.
“Pictures and videos are great because children notice things that adults miss — such as how the angels are reacting in the background of a picture of the Nativity scene,” he says. “Or, if the Holy Spirit appears in the back, they’ll notice that, whereas we look at just the main pic ture. The adults might go past it, but the kids pick up on what the artist envisioned.”
“It is a support network,” Erin says. “If someone is going through a rough time or illness, the mothers reach out and bring meals and watch each other’s kids.” This shared life might not have happened so easily without the opportunity that the ministry provides to meet
“We’reregularly.allrelatively like-minded, but some kids are homeschooled, some are in Catholic schools, and some are in public schools,” Erin says. “We’ve gotten closer to some of the families in the parish. Now, when we go to Mass on Sundays, kids run around and play on the lawn together. Without this group, we would see each other at Mass but not get to know each other well. It’s been an opportunity for our kids to know kids that they wouldn’t have gotten to know without this activity.”
“We all share the same goals of our faith and wanting to foster that in our children,” Jeff says. Dennis notes that there are many godparents and godchildren throughout the group because of the strong friendships formed over the years.
“It’s easy to get frustrated and bitter in life, but when you realize that everyone else struggles and is falling and getting up, you get encouraged,” Dennis says. “You don’t have to be perfect. The world is strug gling, and so are our families. This comes up in prayer and casual conversation.
“If you’re perfect, you’ve got everything right, you’re on track without any problems, this group is probably not a good fit,” he adds. “If you’re struggling, and have bro kenness in your life, and don’t have it all figured out, then you fit right in. It’s a community that unifies us, and gives us a lot of confidence.”
The Family Prayer Group meets on the second Saturday of every month from 6:30 to 9 p.m. If you would like to join, please contact Dennis Lann at 440-975-1740 or Daryl Blatnick at 440-220-2213.
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“A lot of people are afraid to join this kind of thing,” he says. “But when you see another 3-year-old misbehav ing there you realize, everyone has a little one that mis behaves or an older one who’s not participating. It’s an equalizer. We can bond over the struggles. It’s very helpful to realize that we all fail at doing things, but we’re doing the best we can as families.”
“There’s mentorship,” she says. “We meet older, more experienced Catholic parents and see their exam ple and want to pursue that as a model for our family.”
Dennis makes sure to point out that your family does not need to be perfect to join this ministry.
As Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Erin echoes this sentiment.
“A lot of us have become friends, and that naturally lends itself to interacting with each other outside of this,” Dennis says. “We realize that we’re all on the same team. In the end, we all want the same things for ourselves and our kids. We’re unified even with our differences.”
To find out more about the Stewardship Starts at Home book, visit www.stewardship-starts-at-home.company.site.
CATHOLIC
Immaculate Conception
Editor’s Note: The following is an excerpt from the 2022 book, Stewardship Starts at Home: Using God’s Gifts To Grow As Disciples Of Christ In Our Domestic Church, written by stewardship expert and retreat leader Lisa McArdle and published by Catholic Stewardship Consultants. This excerpt is reprinted with permission from CSC. There are Four Pillars of a Stewardship Parish — Prayer, Hospitality, Formation, and Service. The third pillar — Formation — teaches us to know and love our God and our faith.
CHURCH PAGE 6
to consider how fully you are cur rently formed. When is the last time you read a book about the Catholic faith? When is the last time you par ticipated in a Bible study? When is the last time you read and reflected on the readings before Mass? Or looked up something in the Catechism?
Formation is the fuel that keeps your family moving for ward as stewards and in becoming all that Christ is calling you to be. Have confidence as you incorporate this ongoing learning into your daily routines.
The Importance of Catholic Faith Formation
According to the United States Conference of Catho lic Bishops’ National Directory for Catechesis (2005, #20), there are six tasks of faith formation that consti tute a unified whole by which faith formation seeks to achieve its objective. This primary objective is the forma tion of disciples of Jesus Christ. The six tasks of formation promote knowledge of the faith, promote knowledge of the meaning of the liturgy and the sacraments, promote moral formation in Jesus Christ, teach us how to pray, prepare one to live in community, and participate actively in the life of the Church, and promote a missionary spirit that prepares one to be present as Chris tians in Takesociety.amoment
There is no need to search for faith-formation opportuni ties. These options can be sent directly to our smartphones and tablets. Bishop Barron’s Word on Fire ministry sends free daily readings along with a brief gospel reflection straight to our inboxes. Matthew Kelly’s Dynamic Catholic offers Lenten and Advent opportunities with free, reflective videos that also arrive via email. Blessed is She even provides an endear ing female faith formation perspective — perfect for women young and old. Plus, if you want to form yourself specifically in Scripture, you can also opt for the free podcast, The Bible in a Year featuring the entertaining Fr. Mike Schmitz, from Ascension Presents. Honestly, the possibilities are endless.
If that is the last time that you have formed yourself or that members of your families have formed themselves, don’t panic. You are not alone. This realization is an opportunity for growth. A chance to dip your toe back in the water of faith formation and even to learn alongside the members of your family, including the youngest members who are also learning. Don’t ever feel embarrassed that you don’t know an answer to the faith questions asked to you by your children or grandchildren. Instead, learn Remember,together!themore fully you are formed, the better you will understand God’s calling for your family. Furthermore, the more you are formed in the faith the easier it will be to answer the call of discipleship.
Being properly formed in our faith and listening to God’s call allows us to understand if we are on the right path or if we need to redirect. Being prayerful and well-formed are key to our following His plan for our lives instead of our own wishes and desires. Remember, as stewards, we strive to lis ten to God and use the gifts He has given us to serve those he places in our paths. Thankfully, it is easier now more than ever to form ourselves and our families.
Frequently, the last faith formation parishioners receive dates back to when they completed their Confirmation prep aration or attended their last religious formation class as a middle or high school student. This means decades may have gone by since parishio ners and family members have experienced formation.
“It is a very powerful way to experience an intimacy with Our Lord that you can’t really find anywhere else. It nurtures your personal life with Him, and it gives you time to build that relationship you ultimately are seeking for heaven.” — Dennis Lann continued on back cover
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Amazingly, over the years, adorers such as Dennis have seen adoration draw the presence of those who have needed it the most — which is ultimately what it is all“Adorationabout. is there for all of us who are going through a rough time,” Dennis says. “Jesus is there for us no matter what we are dealing with in life.”
“I want everyone to feel welcome at adoration,” Den nis Lann says. “It isn’t just for those who already have a solid prayer life — it is also for those who are broken and may not pray regularly. We want everyone to know that they belong here.”
Eucharistic Adoration: Blessed Moments with the Real Presence of Jesus
T wenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus awaits each one of us in the Blessed Sacrament Adora tion Chapel with tender love, mercy, and compassion. He longs to listen to us, give us profound peace, and help us gain eternal life. No matter what we are struggling with in our lives, Christ desires to meet us one-on-one in adora tion so that He may console our hearts and give us a heav enly sense of hope.
Time and time again, God has worked marvels through the gift of adoration.
“One time, I showed up exactly an hour late for my 3 a.m. Holy Hour, and when I got there, there were six or seven people there in adoration,” Dennis says. “I ended up talking to them and hearing their story. They said that their friend had just overdosed on drugs yes terday, and they had gone out to the bar to drink that night. Something made them realize that given what happened to their friend, maybe the bar wasn’t the best place for them to be, so they decided to come to adoration at our chapel instead. It was amazing to see them there! People need to understand that the Lord works through Adoration.”
The Blessed Sacrament Adoration Chapel was opened and dedicated in 1986. Dennis Lann’s par ents laid the groundwork for this beautiful devotion and brought their children to savor it as well.
Eucharistic Adoration continued from page 7 SEPTEMBER 2022
“My father, James, and my mother, Mary, helped get it started and my siblings and I attended adoration along with them at times,” Dennis says. “They set an example for us children and exposed us to it, and most of us still go to ado ration to this day. In the early ‘90s, I began coming to adora tion nearly every week, and I have been doing so ever since.”
“It is a very powerful way to experience an intimacy with Our Lord that you can’t really find anywhere else,” Dennis says. “It nurtures your personal life with Him, and it gives you time to build that relationship you ultimately are seeking for heaven.” When thinking of adoration, let us be inspired by the following quote from the Catechism of the Catho lic Church (#1380), “The Church and the world have a great need for Eucharistic worship. Jesus awaits us in this sacrament of Love. Let us not refuse the time to go to meet him in adoration, in contemplation full of faith, and open to making amends for the serious offenses and crimes of the world. Let our adoration never cease.”
NON PROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID CLEVELAND, OH PERMIT 36237940 EUCLID AVENUE WILLOUGHBY, OH 44094 440.942.4500 | WWW.IMMACULATE.NET Immaculate Conception CATHOLIC CHURCH
In September, our parish will be dedicating a weekend to informing all about Eucharistic Adoration and the importance of prayer in our lives. During this time, there will be an opportunity to sign up to spend one hour with Our Lord. If you would like further information on how to sign up for adoration, please contact the parish office at 440-942-4500 or refer to future parish bulletins.
Those who come to adoration find that it is deeply fulfilling and inspiring.
